


To Please All the World and One's Father

by Mara



Category: Power Rangers Dino Thunder
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Parent-Child Relationship, Team Dynamics, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-15
Updated: 2016-01-15
Packaged: 2018-05-14 00:56:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5723518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mara/pseuds/Mara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anton's pretty much the Worst Dad Ever. Hayley's less than impressed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is AU for several reasons that will be obvious when you get there. Some dialogue is lifted directly from the episodes "House of Cards" and "A Test of Trust" but I've significantly changed other aspects of those scenes.

Hayley would admit she was predisposed to dislike Anton Mercer. He reappeared out of nowhere, acted strangely toward Tommy (and yes, she could be a bit protective of Tommy, because clearly he couldn't take care of himself), and tried to _steal her café_...

Hayley really didn't like Anton Mercer.

But then when you factored in Trent, it blossomed into actual hatred. The poor kid had lost his parents, moved to a new town, and all his "dad" did was harp on him to stop making art and get a better job and be more like him.

And that wasn't even the worst of it!

* * *

Hayley stopped wiping up the whipping cream she'd spilled and stared at Trent, who was slumped in a chair, staring at the floor. "He didn't notice?"

"I guess not."

"He _didn't notice_ that his son had _gone evil_?"

"I guess I just...avoided him."

"Trent..." She paused, looking for the words. "That's not normal. You know that, right?"

He looked up, a half smile appearing. "What about my life is normal?"

"Don't try to distract me when you know it doesn't work. I mean that your father should at least see you often enough to notice if you've turned evil. _We_ noticed there was something wrong, for heaven's sake."

Trent shrugged. "It is what it is."

"I don't accept that."

"You didn't lose your parents at a young age."

She stared at him until he started to squirm. "Didn't I say you can't distract me? That was even more transparent."

Scowling, he stood. "I'm going to get ready for the morning rush."

She watched him, unable to stop her own frown. "I've got to make a call. I'll be in my office if you need me."

Trent nodded and she went in back, closing the door behind her. The number she needed was already in her phone because she was always prepared.

"How did you get this number, Ms. Ziktor?" the man at the other end said, picking up after one ring.

"Good morning, Dr. Mercer," she said. "If you knew anything about me, you'd know that there's little I can't learn if I want to."

"Well, since you've reached me, what do you want?"

"I want to talk to you about Trent."

"I don't believe anything about my son is your business other than his employment."

"It is my business when I think you're neglecting him. Perhaps a call to Child Protective Services might be in order?" She kept her voice calm and serious, but inside she was shaking with anger and a little surprise. This wasn't what she'd intended to say, but it seemed right.

"You're threatening me." He sounded amused.

"I think that depends a great deal on whether you actually love Trent or simply see him as another tool for advancement. I care about Trent as a person and want the best for him. What about you?"

There was a long pause and Hayley took the opportunity to check her insurance to see if he could get the café by suing her for slander. The answer was a definite maybe.

"Check and mate," he said finally. "I'll have my lawyers draw up the papers this morning."

"The..."

"The guardianship papers." 

His voice was strained and there was something odd about it she couldn't pinp-- "Guardianship?" Half her brain was devoted to freaking out but the other half was already searching for information on guardianship and adoption law in California.

"If you believe I'm unable to sufficiently care for Trent, then you should show me how it's done."

"That's insane! You can't just hand him over to me like a, like a puppy...Trent's going to feel unwanted!"

"I think you'll find he understands completely. Good day."

Holding the phone away from her ear, she stared at it. He hung up on her. He dropped a bomb like that and then _hung up on her_.

Hayley really hated Anton Mercer.

* * *

"Tommy, it's all your fault," she snarled as she continued her frantic search through Westlaw.

"Uh..." There was a rustling sound. "What's my fault? I swear, I didn't tell Conner to use the cycle that way."

"Hayley?" Trent knocked on her office door. "We really need you out here."

"Oh god."

"Hayley, what's wrong? What's my fault?"

"Apparently, I have a 16-year-old son," she said.

"Hayley?" Trent called, knocking again.

"What?" Tommy said. "I didn't even know you 16 years ago! How is that my fault?"

"It's your fault when my new son is named Trent." She took a few hyperventilating breaths. "I've got to go. But we need to talk. Unless your precious Anton was joking, in which case I'm going to turn his company into a scrap heap."

"What are you—"

"School's starting soon. Get to work and I'll talk to you later." And she hung up over Tommy's yelling. "On my way, Trent."

Ignoring the sound of her phone ringing, she dashed out the door to serve coffee and tea and smoothies, hoping things would make more sense in a few hours.

* * *

Burying herself in work (smoothie supplies needed ordering and raptor cycles didn't design themselves), Hayley managed to briefly distract herself, especially after Trent left for school.

Then the blank-faced corporate lawyer (she recognized the type at 50 yards) showed up with a stack of official papers and orders from Dr. Mercer to "sign on the line, please."

She read each one carefully before signing, but she signed them all in the end. If he thought she wouldn't call his bluff, he was stupider than she thought.

In the end, she had a stack of copies and a headache.

In a daze, Hayley served a table of college students their chocolate chip mint shakes and watched the clock until school ended.

At precisely 2:28 pm her cell rang. "Hi, Tommy."

" _What are you talking about?_ " Tommy yelled over the sound of his jeep starting. "If this is a joke, I'm going to spank you."

"Don't make promises you don't intend to keep," she said automatically. "And I'm not joking. Anton Mercer has just signed guardianship of Trent over to me as of two hours ago."

"What...why?"

"I have no idea and that's bothering me. But here's the thing: Trent doesn't know."

"Hell. Does he have a shift this afternoon?"

"Yes, he'll be here with Conner in an hour."

"I'll be there in 15."

* * *

Tommy strode through the doors of the café, looking much more like the impetuous grad student she remembered than the sedate-appearing teacher he affected to be now.

"Hayley--"

She grabbed his arm, dragging him to her office. "Not in front of the customers, please."

"What do you _mean_ Anton handed his son over?" Tommy asked as soon as the door closed behind them.

She sighed, having forgotten temporarily the hero worship that had never entirely faded, even with Mercer's bizarre behavior. Turning, she picked up the stack of paper. "I mean that I just signed a great many things that boil down to the fact that I'm now responsible for the care and feeding of one Trent Fernandez."

"But...why?" Tommy paled, leaning against her desk.

She knew he what he was really asking, but nothing on earth could convince her to tackle why Anton had chosen her over Tommy. "I don't know why he would give Trent up. That's what worries me. Well, that and how to _tell him_!"

Tommy looked alarmed and Hayley noted distantly that her voice had risen to a shriek. She took several careful deep breaths. "What am I going to say?" she whispered. "How can I tell him his dad just gave him up?"

"I don't know. But I’m here to help, okay?"

She nodded. "He'll be here soon. I need...I'm going to take care of him."

He smiled at her, understanding what she couldn't say, about her need to take care of the Rangers and the times she worried about them. "I know you will. And he'll know too."

* * *

Pacing back and forth across her small office, trying to focus on details like sleeping arrangements and groceries, Hayley waited for Tommy to bring Trent back.

The door opened and Trent leaned in, smiling. "What's my dad done now?" She froze and Trent's eyebrows rose. "Uh...I was joking."

"Of course. Um...come in." She forced herself to unclench her hands and breathe normally while Trent and Tommy came in and sat in her two rickety office chairs.

Trent looked back and forth between them. "Seriously, what's wrong?" 

He was starting to look agitated and she couldn't make him suffer in anticipation any longer. "Trent, I had an argument with your father this morning. About you. And...he signed over guardianship of you to me for the near future."

Trent paled. "He...but..."

"I'm sorry. I still don't quite know what happened."

Trent gave a weak chuckle. "Dad has that effect on people." (Tommy snorted in something like amusement at that.)

"I never intended to take you away from him, I swear. I was just worried. I don't know what he meant, but he said that you'd understand why he was doing it."

"He did?" Tommy looked at her, frowning.

Trent rubbed his face. "Yeah, I'm sure he did."

"Do you know what he was talking about?" Tommy asked.

Trent shook his head, but it was more confusion than negation. "I...I don't know. I'm..."

"It's okay. I swear, we're going to work this out, okay?"

Trent nodded slowly.

* * *

Hayley left Trent sitting in her office and went out into the café with Tommy, but both of them kept shooting glances at the closed office door.

"He's going to be okay," Tommy said, not sounding totally convinced. "He's strong, right?"

"Even strong people have a breaking point," she said softly.

* * *

Hayley never thought she'd be so grateful for the second bedroom in her flat. She'd moved in because it was above the café, knowing that she'd be spending much of her time in the caves creating Tommy's melodramatic lair.

They were both silent as they trudged up the stairs to Hayley's flat, because really, what was there to say?

She had a bad feeling as they approached the door, which had a conspicuous note attached to the knocker. Trent was so exhausted he didn't even blink as she took it down, just stood there swaying slightly as she read the few words:

"The rest will be along shortly — AM"

Scowling, she unlocked the door and Trent's eyebrows rose as he looked at the tidy pile of boxes and bags in the middle of the living room. "Busy today?"

Hayley's fists clenched involuntarily. "The bloody cheek of the bas...uh, I mean..." she closed her eyes.

"Ah, _Dad_ has been busy." Trent almost sounded amused. "I should have known."

"I should probably be angry he bypassed my security so easily," she said, noting the exhausted tone in her own voice, "but then again, I don't keep anything...sensitive here, because the security is lower."

Trent managed a chuckle.

Letting the door close behind her, Hayley felt her shoulders slump. "This is crazy. I have no idea what I'm doing."

"Neither do I, so we're even." Now he sounded amused. "Dad never intended to be a parent either. Guess I'm just destined to break in new parents."

"I...we should..." She stopped, not even sure where she was going.

He shook his head, taking a step toward the boxes, then stopped, looking confused.

Through her own mental haze, she managed to figure out the problem. "Um, my spare room is down the hall on the right, if you want to...lie down."

"Look, you don't have to do this," he said, after a moment. Digging through the pile, he found a backpack and started to unpack and repack it. "I've got access to plenty of money and I can--"

"No." Even she was a little surprised by how vehement her voice was. "No. First, I signed the paperwork of my own free will, so I'm legally responsible for you. But second, that's not why I'm doing this."

"Then why?" His façade of calm amusement cracked and she could see the hurt kid.

"Because I can. It's a concrete action I can take. I'm so tired of watching all of you go out and nearly die and just sitting and watching." She took a deep breath. "It isn't charity or pity or whatever you're thinking. Please, let me help you."

Trent froze, then slowly lowered the backpack to the floor. "I guess I can...stick around a while. The commute to and from work will be easier."

"Absolutely."

He managed a tentative smile and her heart nearly broke, but she smiled back. "Dinner? Are you hungry?"

"Have you met any teenage boys? Or Power Rangers?"

"Right. Quadruple servings."

"You know it."


	2. Chapter 2

She and Trent dropped into a rhythm far more easily than she expected. It was, she supposed, a legacy of the boy having done the same thing before, but Trent slotted into her life as if he'd always been there.

Besides, she'd already been helping all the kids with their homework and slipping them extra food to keep their Ranger metabolisms from burning them up from the inside, so the major difference was remembering not to walk around the apartment naked. (Because that was an image she was sure _neither_ of them needed.)

Trent seemed relieved to not have to sneak around to be a Ranger and the other three were jealous. Hayley hadn't really thought about that aspect and she gave Tommy a long lecture about what he _wasn't_ doing to help them, which resulted in a great many additional "part-time jobs" and "internships" at the museum, not to mention the "special projects."

And so their lives went on.

* * *

Kira sat in the corner of the café, hiding behind a book, but Hayley was watching and she hadn't turned a page in the last 10 minutes.

"Hey," Hayley said, sliding into the seat across from her. "Anything I can do to help?"

Kira peered over the top of the book. "Hmm?"

"You looked kind of down and I was wondering if I could help."

"No offense, Hayley, but no. It's kind of a...you know, thing."

"Ah." Hayley smiled brightly. "I'll leave you to it, then."

When she glanced over a few minutes later, Trent had dropped into the same seat and he and Kira had their heads together talking seriously. Well...good. It was good they both had someone to talk to.

* * *

"Trent, watch out," Hayley yelled into the comms as a shot missed his head by inches. Her heart was in her throat. Watching battles just got harder and harder.

"Hayley, stop backseat Rangering!" Tommy snapped.

She closed her mouth and shut down the comm link. Fighting back tears, she hit speed dial 4 on her phone. 

"Hey, what's up?" Angela Fairweather of Lightspeed Rescue asked.

"You have a minute?"

"Sure, what's wrong?"

"Do I backseat Ranger?"

"Yes."

Hayley wiped away an angry tear. "I do?" she asked in a small voice.

"Did you want me to lie to you?"

"Yeah, a little bit." She managed a shaky laugh.

"Then you should have called Billy."

"I know."

"What brought this on?"

"Tommy yelled at me."

"The jerk," Angela said with a huff. "I hope his brachiosaurus steps on his toes."

Hayley's laugh was a little better this time.

"I mean, even if you do backseat Ranger, that doesn't mean he has the right to yell."

Rubbing her face, Hayley said, "I don't mean to. I just want to help."

"I know. Believe me, I know. But sometimes we have to step back. It sucks but they're the ones on the ground, they're the ones with the powers, and we have to trust them to come home to us."

"It's so hard."

"Let's talk about something else. Hey, did I tell you about Cam's call the other day?"

* * *

The Red Dragon card fiasco was the sort of thing Hayley was surprised hadn't happened previously, given the oh-so-friendly principal of Reefside High. Honestly, Ethan should have known better than to have his cards anywhere near the school.

Which was why she was startled by Trent's strong reaction to Ethan's loss. Maybe he was thinking of his father taking away his art supplies?

It took Hayley a few minutes to notice the way Trent was pacing back and forth in her office. In her defense, she was trying to do three things at once, and as soon as she realized, she turned away from the computer. "Trent? What's wrong?"

He stopped pacing and shoved his hands in his pockets, facing away.

With great effort, she refrained from pushing or trying to guess, folding her hands and trying to wait patiently.

"I need..."

"What?"

"I need to talk to my dad," he muttered.

Hayley sighed. "I'm not going to stop you if that's what you want. Can I ask what about?"

"Maybe he can talk to Principal Randall."

She blinked.

"About Ethan's card?"

"That card. Look, I'm a gamer from way back and I feel for him, I really do. But I think we have bigger problems than a red dragon card."

"It's important to Ethan."

"I know." She sighed, then waved. "If you're going, then go."

Trent almost ran out and she sat for a long while staring at the closed door, trying to figure out what was wrong with that conversation.

Shaking her head, she shut down the computer and decided to head to the lair and get some work done on the zords.

* * *

Hayley looked up in alarm as the team burst in. "What—" she started.

"I always knew Mercer wasn't exactly PTA material," Ethan said, "but Mesogog? That's whack!"

She had trouble catching her breath and she stared at Tommy, who stood with his arms crossed and a mulish expression she recognized with dismay.

Conner glared at everyone. "I'll tell you what's whack. Trent not telling us, that's whack."

"Look, I'm as mad about this as you guys are," Kira said, putting a hand on Conner's arm. "But don't you think we still owe Trent a chance to explain? I mean, maybe there's a really good reason he didn't tell us."

Tommy finally spoke up. "I hope there is, because if there's not, I have no choice but to ask Trent to surrender his morpher and give up being a Power Ranger."

Haley stared at him. "No!"

Conner glared at her and Kira. "Don't tell me you feel bad for Trent."

"Yeah," Ethan said. "I mean, you want someone you can't trust running around with those powers?"

"I just hate for it to end this way for Trent. I mean, if it were me and I had to give back my powers, I don't know if I could handle it."

"Don't you think we should talk to Trent before you do anything rash?" Hayley asked.

"Hayley," Ethan said, "you weren't there to see it. My card dropped out of his pocket—"

"Trent's pocket?"

"No, Mercer's pocket! And then he just ran away and we were all chasing him. I don't even know why."

Hayley held her breath.

"And then his whole body just...changed."

It felt...her head wanted to float away and her stomach was trying to drop out. "He's Mesogog. Tommy..."

Tommy wouldn't look her in the eye.

"What do we do?" Kira asked, looking at Tommy.

"Do I get a say?" Everyone whirled to look at Trent coming down the steps.

"I don't know. Are you going to report back to your dad?" Conner asked, fists clenched.

"I haven't exactly been on speaking terms with my dad or Mesogog for a while now." He crossed his arms.

Haley stared. "You said you needed to talk to your dad. Earlier."

Trent avoided her eyes. "I went to confront Mesogog."

"He could have killed you," she whispered.

"Yeah, well, he's tried that before." His tone was full of bravado and Haley wondered if anyone else could hear the pain beneath it.

"Why should we believe you?" Ethan asked.

"I don't know."

Hayley slid between the Rangers to stand next to Trent, a hand on his shoulder. Looking around, she realized the others had subconsciously positioned themselves like a courtroom. Tommy stood on the platform above everyone, standing in judgment, while Trent was beside him like a prisoner in the dock. The other Rangers stood in a clump as if they were the jury.

Well, Hayley thought, if she couldn't be the defense attorney, she could at least be a character witness.

It looked like Kira saw the symbolism too, because she stepped away from the others. "I believe you, Trent."

Hayley could feel the tension in Trent's shoulders lessen the tiniest bit. "Thank you."

"But he lied to us!" Ethan said.

"Can you blame him?" Kira asked.

"Yes, I can!" Conner said, arms crossed and glaring back at her.

"Because it's all black and white for you," she said. 

Conner glared harder. "He knew his dad was Mesogog. We could have taken him out at any time."

"And if you found out your father was secretly Mesogog, you'd punch him right in the face in order to save the town."

"Stop defending him," Conner said. "We all know you'll protect him no matter what."

Rolling her eyes, Kira walked over so she could smack his shoulder. "Shut up, dummy."

"It's okay," Trent said suddenly and everyone looked at him. "You're right to be angry. I should have told you."

Conner's mouth opened and closed as he tried to figure out how to respond.

"I should have told you, but...how could I? He's not just my dad, he's the man who took me in when my parents died."

The room was silent. 

"I know you don't like him, but he's all I had—have. He's been trying to cure himself. I thought..." His voice cracked. "Maybe I wouldn't have to hurt him."

Hayley looked at the other Rangers and she wanted to scream and rant and rage. But she _couldn't_. She wasn't a Ranger and they had to work this out for themselves.

"Kira's right," Tommy said. "We shouldn't do anything rash. I don't blame Trent."

"What?" Conner, Ethan, and Trent all yelped in unison.

Tommy turned to Trent. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Of everyone, I should have understood your dilemma." Pausing, he looked at the other three. "I...I was adopted too."

"It's okay," Trent said.

"No, it's not." Tommy shook his head. "I'm the adult on the team and your teacher. If you didn't trust me enough to tell me, that's my failure, not yours."

Hayley winced. "You need to work together. You can't do this without the White Ranger."

"Being a Ranger is the best thing that ever happened to me. I don't want to lose that, trust me," Trent said.

Conner snorted. "Yeah, heard that one before."

"So let me prove it."

An alarm blared and everyone whirled to look at the screens, which showed the red dragon monster attacking downtown.

"Here's your chance," Tommy said.

"What?" Conner stared at him. "You're not seriously gonna trust him?"

"Look at that thing," Kira said. "We have no choice."

Ethan stood next to Kira. "We always have a choice. And I choose that Trent comes with us."

"Thank you, I won't let you down." Trent stepped forward, hand on his morpher.

"I hope not," Conner muttered.

Hayley held her breath as the moment hung in the balance...and the alarm she'd silenced went off a second time and all the Rangers jumped.

Without another word, they all ran into battle. Hayley took a moment to be relieved before she turned to monitoring the scene.

* * *

She was triple-checking the readouts on the zords when the proximity alarms on the cave went off. She jumped, then started trying to convince herself it was just deer.

Unfortunately, she was the one who programmed the sensors to ignore deer, so that didn't work very well.

Reluctantly, she switched her monitors from the battle to the area around the house. It took some very long and terrifying moments until she panned at just the right angle and saw...

"Tommy!" she gasped. "Mercer...he's here. He's lying on the ground."

"That's not possible. I can hear Mesogog issuing orders."

"I'm going to see."

"Wait, what if it's a trap?"

"Then it's a trap. I've done my part." She turned off the speakers before she could hear Tommy's reply.

Holding a very large stick in her hand, she crept out onto the porch. All her sensors and scanners told her there was nothing and nobody else out there, but sensors could be fooled.

Nothing jumped at her as she walked closer. He certainly looked terrible—filthy and disheveled in a way she'd never seen him. She nudged him with her toe and he groaned.

Crouching down, she shook his shoulder. "Hey." He groaned again. "Hey, Dr. Mercer, are you in there?"

He mumbled something.

* * *

Hayley stared down at the unconscious body on the gurney in front of her, then looked at the monitors showing the battle. With a sigh, she dragged Anton Mercer, aka Mesogog, nearer the monitors so she could keep an eye on him. Much as she wanted to, she couldn't just leave him untended. Clearly he still meant something to Trent, even if she wanted nothing more than to kill him.

She agonized over each move, focusing more and more until she was surprised by the weak voice. "Are they winning?"

She whirled. "Who? The Rangers or your alter ego and his minions?"

"My son and his friends."

"He's not your son now, remember?"

Mercer winced as he pushed himself slowly to a sitting position. "I deserved that."

Hayley waited.

"But are they winning?"

"Yes." She sighed. "I think so."

"Shouldn't you be doing something?"

"Like what?" She waved at the screen. "I've built them every weapon and defense I can. Given them every technological advantage. Now all I can do is watch and hope it was enough."

"I can sympathize," he murmured. "All I could do was watch and hope I'd done enough to save Trent."

Eyes wide, she looked at him. "That's why you gave me custody. You knew all along you were Mesogog."

He closed his eyes for a moment. "Yes. I knew. I hoped you and Tommy could protect and train him."

"You utter goddamned cold-blooded bastard!"

"Not cold-blooded any longer, but I'll grant the rest."

"Don't try to make a joke of this. If you knew, why didn't you come to Tommy for help?"

"I couldn't. I...I couldn't admit how foolish I'd been, how much trouble I had caused. I thought I could cure myself and then it was too late and the only thing I could do was try to save Trent."

Hayley turned back to the screen with a sniff. "Great, you're a control freak too."

"Too?"

"I've been trying to fix Trent, fix all of the Rangers' problems. I finally realized that sometimes I have to step back and let go."

"Like I had to let Trent go."

"You're still a fucking bastard."

"Noted."

They both turned back to the monitors. Hayley had to cover her mouth to stifle the scream as Conner went down, but (as she knew he would) Trent was there to save him.

Tears pricked her eyes as she watched the Rangers win the battle.

Mercer never looked away from Trent. "That's my boy," he said.

Hayley let it go this time.

* * *

When the Rangers returned triumphant, there was a lot of noise over Mercer's presence. Hayley let Tommy handle the others, pushing past them to get to Trent, who stood like a statue at the base of the steps.

Taking him by the shoulders, she put herself directly in his line of sight. "You don't have to deal with him now if you don't want to."

"I know."

"What do you want?"

Trent swallowed, then managed a smile. "It's okay." When she dropped her hands from his shoulders, he stepped around her, a few stumbling steps bringing him to Mercer, who had the sense to wait where he was.

All the yelling died down as Trent whispered, "Dad?"

"It's me. Just me." Mercer paused. "I'm sorry."

"Dad!" Trent flung himself forward and Mercer caught him in a hug.

"I'm sorry," Mercer said again. "I don't know if I can make it up to you."

Hayley blinked away tears, rubbing angrily at her face when some escaped. She jumped in surprise when Tommy put his arm around her. "Thank you," Tommy said.

"What? For what?"

"Everything."

"Yes, thank you," Mercer said. "Thank you for your care of Trent."

"Taking care of all of us," Kira said.

Hayley ducked her head so no-one saw the tears.

* * *

When Mesogog was finally destroyed, Hayley enlisted the others to find Trent for her. She looked at Mercer, who nodded for her to go. Climbing over and under piles of debris, she carefully approached Trent's perch on a fallen concrete piling.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey." He glanced her way, but then went back to staring off into space.

"So...it looks like everybody's okay."

"Yeah." His voice was so carefully neutral, she couldn't tell anything from it.

Hayley sat down on the ground next to the piling and stared at the wreckage around her. This was it. They'd defeated the bad guy and now...what? Everything went back to normal? She snorted softly.

"Hmm?" Trent looked down.

"Just remembering you asking me what about your life was normal."

He half-smiled. 

"Of course, there was a lot more abnormal going around than I knew."

"Yeah."

"You could have told me. At any time. And I still would have helped you."

"I know that now. But how could I be sure?"

"Mmm. I guess I just wanted you to know that. That you can tell me anything and I'll still be your friend."

He smiled, looking sideways at her. "Thank you, that means a lot."

"You're welcome."

They sat silently for a while, looking at the city beginning to rebuild. "What if I told you," Trent said slowly, "that I was in love with Kira?"

"Ha!" she said, smacking his leg. "That's such old news, even the zords knew it. I think the Brachiozord and Pterazord might have been placing bets."

Trent started to laugh and she grinned up at him. 

\--end--


End file.
